Air-brake controller.



PATENTEYI) MAR. 8, 190;. W. H. SCOTT. AIR BRAKE GGNTROLLER. APPLICATION FILED P110224. 1903.

N0 MODEL.

A PATENTED MAR. s, 1904.

W. H. SCOTT. AIR BRAKE CONTROLLER, APPLIUAIION PILEQ DEG. 24. .903.

A A A 55: Q SE5 SE9 s fl/ {F A 4 SHBETfl-SHEET 2.

1 L l l 1 I PATENTED MAR. 8, 1904.

W. H. SUOTT. AIR BRAKE CONTROLLER. APPLICATION FILED DEC 24, 1903 4 SHEETS-SHEET 3 PATENTED MAR. 811904.

W. H} SCOTT. AIR BRAKE m TmLLER.

APPLICATION FILED DB";

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4 N0 MODEL;

. Fig. 1.

UNiTEn STATES Patented March 8, 1904.

PATENT. OFFICE.

WVILLlANl ll. fill 017 1; OF ST. LOUIS, h-llSSOllhl, ASSIHBKJR- TO JOHN C. WANDS, Oi ST. LOUIS, llIlSSUlJlll.

AME-BRAKE CONTROLLER.

SPECIFIQASION forming part of Letters Patent NO. ?54,-393, dated March 8, 1904-.

Application filed December 24, 19Q3. Serial No. 186,427. N0 model.) I

vci'itjcd a ccrt-aiu now and usclul Iniprovomcnt in Air-Brako Corrtro'llcrs, of which the followlng is a full, clear-,and exact description, such as will onahlo others skilled in tho art to which it. appcrtains to make and use the same, refor- "eno hoinghad to tho accompanying drawings,

forming art"of'this specification, in which Figaro l a. side 'clova'tio'nal View of a portion of an air-brake cylinder. showing my improrod coufi'ollcr in position thcroon.

thereto is illustrated Lhofroai end of tho cylindcr, its'l'ulcrum-lug, Lhc orlindor lcvcr, and cylindcrdevcr tio-rod. :1 lg. Z; is a top plan ViUW oi my cont-roller,fogcthor wil'h a portion of tho orlindcrdioad, pistondovor, and cylindrrelcvcr tic-rod. i is a vertical longitudinal soclional View of my controller. showing its application to tho piston-rod and tho pisliui-luvcr. Fig. is an enlarge-d scotional \'iow on linc 5 5 (if-Fig. 1. Fig. (S'isa sectional Viou' on lino .f Fig. is an cnlargcd scctional View on line '1 7 of I Fig. 2: is an enlargedsectional vicw on line 8 8 of Fig. 1. Fig. 9 is at-o rplan View of a portion of my improved controllcr, showing a i'mi lilicd form of albaclnncut of. tho sal'no to-thc pi'stowrod. ll) a Side. cloiatiorial View of my. improved conl rollor as viewed from tho cantor of tho car or as. soon from i hcopposite din-action, as that of Fig. 1,

said \"lGW also showing the modilicd "form of attachment oi: the same to tho piston-rod. re-forrod to In Fig. 9.

This ilivc-ntion rclatos to a now and usoful improvement in air-brain controlior s ,.tho ob ject being to compcnsatc for. or- Lake up the wear onthohrakcshocs, so that the. braking power of tho n lindor will hc cfl'cctcd with an Fig.2 aio'p plan vicw of tho same, and in addition V Fig.,l .l a sectional View on line ll ll oi Figs. Sland l0, and Fig.

12 mascot-zonal \"IQW on lino l2 12 of Fina H. I

of thcsc; when applied to passenger l rul ccylinders, provide for adjusting the fulorum of (tho cylinder-lover. Another construction with which I am familiar contcm 'ilatcs adjusting the piston-rod and is discloscd in Uuilcd Stateslatent N0. 62 9,798, of l.)oc -mbor 2c,

1899, issued to John C. Wands. This consbruct-ion, however, without making" na'luriul alterations in tho piston-rod only applicable to freight brake-cylindcrs.

My present invention is dcsig'nod to use cortain of the clonicncs disclosed in tho 2'l.l)()\0- mentioned patent in such manner as to malio the: same applicalolcv to not only lrcighl. la

alas

cylinders, but passengcr and 'tcndcr brake;

cyliudcrsas W011 with tion of the same. 7

As will he apparoi'it from an insp -clion of Figs. 1 and .2 of tho accouipiirri iug; drawings, wherein a standard passenger brake-cylindcr audits piston rod and levcrs arc illustratcd, all thatis necessary to do *to equip .the sanic with my improved controller is tociit oil the end of the piston-rod. drill ahole in tho rvmaining porbionof the samcwliicl prolj-rlulcs from the nosc of tl'ic'oyliudor-hcad, mount. the cam-plate and its carried guide-bracket in correct position, and put 't-lic remaindrr of the hut vory slight alt-rm oolitrollor into place by passing it. through said hraclntt and then pinning or bolting inn) tho piston-rod. 1 r s \Vith those. objects 'iri Vicw tho invcntiol'i consists in the construction, arrimg'oiucut, and combination of the several parts, all as will be hereinafter described, and ar'tcrward point-0d out. in the claims. 1 v

In the drawings, whcroin 1 havo illustrated ar -passenger hrakc-cylinder, 1 indicators the brake-0y]indor, 2 tho .pislgou-rod, 3 tho pistorr lIi.'\'1',-4; thocylindor-lcvcr, and 5 tho cylinderlcvi-r tic-rod, all of said parts being oi the usual construction. strucbion, which is illustratod in Figs. 1- a. 8, inclusive, lprcfor to cut. or saw off thchif'urcared ondof the usual piston-rod and drill a hole in tho and of that portion of said piston- ,rod \VlllCl] protrudes from the nose ol the cylindor=-lxoad.

6 indicatcs a casting which is abtachedlso the In tho prcfcrrod conend of the piston-rod, preferably by means of a pin or bolt 7, which bolt passes through the before-mentioned hole in said piston-rod. This casting is designed to act a housing and guide for a longitudinally-movable fulcrum-block 8, in which the piston-cylinder is mounted, said block carrying a screw-threaded extension 9. The outer end of the casting 6 is preferably guided and partially supported by a bracket 9, which in turn is supported by a cam-plate 10-, bolted or otherwise secured to the under side of the car.

llindicates a nut which cooperates with the screw-threaded extension 9, said nut hav ing formed thereon a plurality of ratchetteeth 12. This nut 11 is preferablylocated at the outer end of the castin'gfi, and is carried thereby, the same being rotatably supported ,partment 16, in which, is slidably mounted B thereon, preferably by means of section plates 13 13, (see Figs. 4 and 7,) which .em- 3 brace an annular projection 14,;f ormed on said nut, said plates 13 13 being bolted or otherwise secured to saidca'sting 6.

l5 indi'cates a housingwhich is rota tably mounted on, but'longitudinhlly immovable 9f, the nut 11, and ineloses the statesman-12.- Thishousing 15 is also provided with a-comblock :17,- carrying a spring-actuated pawl 18,

which pawl cooperates with the ratchet-teeth 19' indicates acoiled spring which is located within the compartment 16;- one end of which bears against'the'block 17 and tends to force or holdsaid block toward or 1 against the end wall of said compartment 16. U J '20 indicates a push button or rod slidably mounted intl 1at end wall of the compartment '16 next adjacent the block-17, which push button or rodis in alinement with-a pr'djec- 21 ind ioates a pro ection carried by the housing 15, which projection may'simply be a plain rod or may be a rod carrying a roller 22,

as shown. This projection-2'1cooperates with a slot 23, formed in'thecam-plate 1.0, which slot is straight for a part of its length, being parallel to the direction of movement of the piston-rod oi'the brake-cylinder and thence deflected laterally, as is clearly shown in the drawings. I

24 indicates a housing forthe screw-threaded extension 9, and consists;' preferably, of a. piece of pipe non rotata'bly secured to the hill? 11, said housing being'prefierably provided on] its outer end with asuitablearm or fingers25, bylwhich the saine can be manually rotated.

" Themper'ation of the device is as follows! When'myiirnproved' controller. [ispliuield in proper position on the car and secured to the,

piston'-head and new brake-shoes have lbeeii plaeedin' the'lieads of the brake-beams, the" -fulcrurh-block8 isdesigned to lie-as close'tof. tho outer-end of the piston-rodfl as it will go and the projection 21 ofthe housing 15 to be 'slot 23. However, when the brake-shoes become worn and the piston exceeds its original travel the projection 21 is caused-to enter the inclined portion of slot 28 and rock the housing 15, to which it is attached. Thismovement will cause the pawl 18 to slip over one .or more ofethe ratchet-teeth 12 0i the nut il, 'it being understood that the nut 11. will not turn during this action of the pawl, d no to tl power exerted by the piston against the nui. through the instrumentality of the screwthreaded extension 9. Upon the return of the piston to release the brakes a great pressure is exerted on'the various-levers of the system, so much so, in fact, that the screw-threaded ex tension 9 and the nut 11 are likely to become im pinged sojtightly together that if some yieldingmedium were not interposed between the housing 15 and its carried pawl 18 the parts To relieve the parts from strain under the conditionsmentionedg the spring 19 is employed, which spring acts as a cushion toabsorbany sudden movement be- .fore s'ufiicient force can be applied to the out should the might be broken.

to, bind it tightly on its screw, nut 11 become non-rotatable due to the inping'ement just mentioned, the block 17 and its carried-pawl 18 are permitted -to remain stationary in engagement with the ratchetteeth 12 while the housing 15 is being re turned to its initial position, which action ob viouslycompresses'sprlng19, storing up sufii cient energy thereinto, when the impingement between the. nut and screw-threaded extension ceases, force the block 17 audits carried pawl in proper direction to turnlsaid nut and move the screw-threaded extension longitudinally,

thereby moving the end'of the piston-lever away from itspiston-rod and taking up what slack exists in the brake system.

The construction illustrated in Figs. S-l to .12 of the drawings contemplates attaching my improved controller to a piston-rod commonly'employed' without-altering the user; i

but necessitates[lengthening the cylinder-=iev'er tie-rod.otand'moving the piston-lever 3 outwardly away from the, piston --rod snfli. ciently far-to compensate'for the displacement of the'fuleruin of the piston leve'r. The cast? ing was itsfinner end so shaped as to take the end'of the piston-rod, while in other respcts'the-constructioii and operationof the pe ts illiist'i'faited are the same heretofore desrjibed When'new shoes are :to be applied after the controller has'extended the pistomrod herein deseribedand it is necessary to) restore the rotating the out as the piston exceeds its or- From 'parts for those in general use to adapt my levers.

parts to normal position, the push-button 20 carried ,thcreby and forming a guideway, a is pressed inwardly, so as'to raise the pawl from theratchet, when the housing 24 may be; rotated to turn the nut andrestore the ful-' crum-block of the piston-lever to its original. position.

theabove description it will be noted that my improvement is applicable to airbrakes as commonly used, it being unnecessaryto change any of the parts or to substitute new 1 ed thereon and carried thereby, a fulcrum controller thereto. viiccording to the prc- I block for the piston-lever movably' mounted fcrred construction the end of the piston rod in said extension, and mea'nsfor moving said is cut off to give a firmer bearing for the extension which is attached thereto; but this change requires little labor and could be dis-- pensed with if the connection between the extension and the piston-rod were employed, as shown in Figs. 9 to 12. This latter connection, however, would necessitate a longertierod between the cylinder and the piston-rod mounted in said guideway, a piston-lever fulthc slot'in said extension, a threaded .rod extending from said fulcrum-block, a nut engaging said rod, and means for rotating said "nut; substantially described.

5. In an" air-brake controller,

the coiiibinahaving a cam. slot and a rockable element mounted on the piston-rod extension and operating in said cam-slot; subtantially as described.

V 6. In an air-brake controller, the combination with a piston-rod, of an extension mountcd thereon, a fulcrum-block for the pistonrod lever mounted in said extension, a threaded rod extending from said fulcrum-block,-a nut through which said rod passes, ratchetteeth on said nut, ahousing mounted adjacent the nut and rotatable independently thereof, a pawl carried by said housing, a spring cooperating with the pawl, and a cam-plate for rocking said housing; substantially as de scribed.

7 Inan air-brake controller, the combination with a fulcrum-block, of a threaded rod extending therefrom, a nut through which said rod passes, ratchet-teeth on said nut, a housing rotatabl y mounted on said nut, a pawl mounted in a follower arranged in said housing and cooperating with said ratchet-teeth, a push-button for lifting the pawlv from engagement with the ratchet-teeth, and a spring in said housing bearing against said follower,

substantially as described.

8. In an air-brake controller, the combination with a fulcrum-block and a threaded rod, of a ratcheted nut engaging said rod, a rotatable housing mounted in juxtaposition to said nut, said housing having a concentric way, a follower mounted in said way, a pawl mounted in the follower and engaging the ralcheted nut, a spring in the way for'holding sa'id fol lower in normal position at one end of said way, a projection extending from the housing, and a plate having a cam-slot for cooperating with said projection; substantially as described. I

J. In an air-brake controller, the combina tion with a piston-rod, of an extension fixedly mounted thereon and carried thereby, a t'ulcrum-block for the piston-rod slidingly mount- ('(l in said extension, a threaded rod extending from said fulcrum block, a nut rotatably mounted in said extension through which said rod passes, ratchet-teeth on said nut, a.hous ing mounted in juxtaposition to said nut and movable with relation to said ratchet-teeth, a spring-pressed pawl-carrying block arranged I am aware that minor changes in the construction, arrangement, and combination of the several parts of my device can be made and substituted for those herein shown and described without in the least departing from the nature and principle of my invention.

Having thus described the invention,what is claimed as new, and desired to be secured by Letters Patent, is

1. In an air-brake controller, the combination with a piston-rod, of a housing or guide carried thereby, a nut rotatably mounted in the housing, a fulcrum-block slidingly mounted in the, housing or guide and provided with athread ed rod engaging the nut, and means for dinary limit of travel; scribed.

2. In an air-brake controller, the combination with a piston-rod, of an extension secured thereon and forming a guideway for the fulcrum-block of the piston-lever, a threaded rod connected to said fulcrum-block, a nut rotatably mounted in said piston-rod extension and in engagement with said threaded rod, ratchetteeth on said nut, a pawl in engagement with said ratchet-teeth, and means for retracting the pawl when the piston exceeds its ordinary limit of travel; substantially as described.

3. In an air-brake controller, the combination with a piston-rod, of an extension on said piston-rod forming a guidcway, a fulcrumblock for the piston-lever slidingly mounted in said guideway, a threaded rod: extending from. said. fulcrum-block, a nut rotatably I mounted in said guideway for engaging said i threaded rod, means-for rotating said nut, and 1 l i l l substantially as dea housing for receiving the projecting end of said rod as it passes through the nut, said housing being secured to the nut; substantially as described.

4. In an air-brake controller, the combina tion with a piston-rod, of a slotted extension fulcrum-block for the piston-leverslidinglytion with a pistonrod, of an extension mountfulcrum-block, said means including. a plate crumed in said block and operating through 1 w e we i am-wh n 'e d-ees gm w t; and a PIIQJQCQIPIYIITOII ,tghe housmgfcqqper- 3 l nepngiedin gaid bl c-k 5 exgeede itsprdin lyl-li lll t of travel seid housin'g'yvilLbe piqirniifio enable the'pawl to eh new are restored, tqngi; 1fi pbsjtipn, the spring.- pressedlpawl-arg ,ipg bleak will yjeldin'gly 3 1. mma w rm wieei h; a nl n a cambite aiper 'Wh wh; when theparts olutigui, thereby causing the fulcrum-block .to

liloveoutwardly with i'spectto the cylinder;

substantially as deseribed;

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my sigpature, in the presence 'of' two witnesses, 5

this 21st day of December, 1903.

WILLIAM H. SCOTT.

' wi nesses: Y I v F. oom' vAL'L, GEQRGE BAKEWELL- 

